Do the Panthers Already Regret Trading Up for Bryce Young?

While the winless Panthers and their No. 1 overall pick struggle, the Bears are reaping many benefits from the blockbuster deal.

When the Chicago Bears landed the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft right at the buzzer of the 2022 regular season, the conversation immediately shifted to which team might give them a king's ransom to move up to that spot.

The Bears were clearly invested in building around quarterback Justin Fields instead of using that pick to replace him, but which team would give them a package of assets that could entice them to move down?

That team turned out to be the Carolina Panthers, who sent a massive haul to Chicago in return for the chance to pick their favorite of this year's top quarterback prospects.

They settled on Alabama's Bryce Young, while the Bears loaded up on more resources to help ensure Fields developed into the star quarterback he was always capable of becoming.

This year's No. 1 overall pick, Young has struggled out of the gate for the winless Panthers / Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

It's still plenty early, but if you're a Panthers fan, the early returns on that deal have been tough to watch for many different reasons.

For starters, Young himself has struggled out of the gate, and the Panthers are the only NFL team left without a win as they prepare for Week 5. 

It's not unusual for rookie quarterbacks to struggle from the start, but considering the early success of C.J. Stroud (No. 2 overall pick, Houston Texans) and Anthony Richardson (No. 4 overall pick, Indianapolis Colts), it's got to be frustrating for the Panthers to watch the quarterback they chose over both having such a hard time.

Stroud is making a strong case that he should have been this year's top pick / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Part of the reason Young is struggling is the lack of a star wide receiver in Carolina, a problem that was created by the very trade that put the Panthers in that No. 1 spot atop the draft order. One of the key components of the deal for the Bears was the inclusion of Panthers wide receiver D.J. Moore, one of the best pass-catchers in the league, as they looked to give Fields a true No. 1 target to help aid his development.

That probably made Thursday night's game between the Bears and the Washington Commanders a painful watch for the Panthers, as Moore racked up 230 yards on eight receptions, catching three of Fields four touchdown passes in a 40-20 win for Chicago.

Earlier this week, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the Panthers were "in the market" for a top receiver:

Despite an 0-3 start, the #Panthers are looking to build, not rebuild. Sources say they’ve been in the market for a WR, among other positions.

My story: https://t.co/Tqlwl7q0Ud

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 1, 2023

A receiver like...D.J. Moore, maybe?

As if things couldn't get more painful for Panthers fans, Carolina is currently in line to end up with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. USC's Caleb Williams, perhaps the most hyped and highly anticipated quarterback prospects since the likes of Trevor Lawrence and Andrew Luck, is the consensus prize for whoever lands in that spot.

Too bad the Panthers already spent this year's No. 1 pick on a quarterback, and in the process, traded that potential No. 1 overall pick in next year's to the Bears in the deal that moved them to the top of the board back in April.

It's still way too early to pass judgement on Young, and who knows how the draft order will settle by the end of the season. But from where we're all sitting right now, it's hard to see that trade as anything other than a colossal disappointment for Carolina.